Active seating is an improvement upon traditional seating. In the latter, an individual “sits down”, sometimes leaning against a backrest, sometimes not; such seating is detrimental not only to the spine and the back generally, but to the whole body as a result of sustained mechanical stress on muscle and tissue. Active seating is based on the seemingly paradoxical principle that a sitter should always be moving. The type of movement encouraged by active seating permits one to remain sitting while alternating weight from the left to the right, from the thighs to the buttocks, as well as in diagonal coordinates, thereby preventing the creation of sustained mechanical stress points. This encouragement can be accomplished by providing stimuli, such as the feeling of being off-balanced, whereupon the sitter will feel inclined to “rebalance”, an action that requires subtle, but constant movement and good posture. Not only do these movements prevent the mechanical stress points, but they also strengthen the muscles, particularly in the core and back areas, and permit better circulation in the legs. While these extra movements may initially require conscious focus by the sitter, they gradually become instinctive.